The various purpose of tattoos during World War 2 were
very unique. American soldiers used tattoos to be recognized as a
"real" man or recognized for their rank. Soldiers sometimes also got
tattoos while they were drunk and didn't even remember getting them.
Nazis also used tattoos to identify their prisoners. Instead of using
their names, they tattooed numbers on their arms.

"When mechanical electrical tools were made for tattooing
in the 40’s, men saw the permanent marks as a sign of their masculinity, or
their role in a specific club. World War II servicemen were the first
Western group to ritualistically commit to body modification via tattoos as
a sign of solidarity to their outfit and country. Military men out having a
good time on weekend leave would routinely take the new recruits to get them
tattooed with American Eagles or the more scandalous pinup girls, discreetly
placed on biceps and forearms."

You may have a grandfather or an uncle that served in
World War II. If they have a tattoo you've probably heard that it
meant something more. Did they know that their tattoos had a creative
spark in all of them? It may seem that since so many military men had
tattoos, that they were all just jumping on the bandwagon. This
parallels the reasons why people get tattoos today. So does that mean
tattoos were just a fad back then? Perhaps. That may be why when
we see those green tattoos on veteran's arms we don't exactly think of them
as creative. But when you see them, don't just think "blah," think,
"ah." The individuality, as in wanting to exhibit rank and
masculinity, that came from wanting to get these tattoos stems from their
creative unconscious. The wanting to be identified and different makes
these men creative.

Tattoos were also used to identify their prisoners that
were put in concentration camps by the Nazis. The only way creativity
can be defined in this sense is really sick, very politically incorrect.
So to avoid any remarks that may cause upheaval we'll just show you what the
tattoos that were received look like.

"The numbered tattoos that have today become an identifying mark of
Holocaust survivors originated in
Auschwitz, the largest Nazi concentration
camp in Europe. There, incoming prisoners went through the infamous
selektion (selection process). [All prisoners were tattooed not just
Jews]"